Chinese delegation called on to compete with 'pride and integrity'

As the Paris Olympics just around the corner, the Chinese Olympic Committee has called on its 716-strong delegation to compete with pride and integrity at the sporting gala to promote the country's international image.

Counting on its prowess in six traditionally strong sports—table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, shooting, weightlifting and diving—the Chinese delegation, which announced a 405-athlete roster supported by 311 coaches and staff on Saturday, has been all set for a fruitful campaign in Pairs, not just for a medal-laden success but to present friendship, sportsmanship and fair play to the world.

"We have to take the Olympic stage to demonstrate the superb competitive level and good spirits of Chinese athletes, as well as presenting the thriving, prosperous and bright future of our country in the new era from the sports perspective," Gao Zhidan, president of COC, said at the delegation launch on Saturday.

The massive global attention to the Games has also made it an unparalleled platform for the country to "make more friends, expand international sports exchange, and help build a community with a shared future," Gao added.

Featuring a blend of youth and experience, the Chinese delegation boasts confidence in vying with international powerhouses in the 236 medal events that it has qualified for across 30 sports, out of a total of 329 events in 32 sports on the Paris 2024 program.

It will mark the biggest representation of Team China in event number and variety at an overseas edition of the Games, even with 10 events on Tokyo 2020's program reduced in Paris to control the size and cost of the sporting extravaganza.

Led by 42 Olympic champions, Team China also expects to measure its future talent against the world's best, with 223 athletes making their Olympic debut in the French capital.

The delegation, with an average age of 25, is made up of 136 men and 269 women athletes, with 37-year-old Olympic champion race walker Liu Hong the oldest competitor and 11-year-old women's skateboarder Zheng Haohao the youngest.

Leading China's charge among the "mighty six" are the country's all-conquering table tennis squad and its diving "dream team," who are both aiming to achieve a clean sweep of all gold medals up for grabs in their respective sports.

"We cannot take for granted that these five gold medals belong to China. All five gold medals are in Paris, and they are reserved for the brave and the wise, for those who excel the most," said Liu Guoliang , president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association.

The team lost the mixed doubles title to host Japan at the Tokyo Games, leaving it more hungry for a perfect finish in Paris. "We have been fine-tuning our form for quite a long time, and we will give our all to achieve the best possible results in Paris," said women's world No. 1 Sun Yingsha, who will compete in singles, mixed doubles and women's team events.

Spearheaded by four-time Olympian Cao Yuan in men's 10m platform and women's platform super duo Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi, the Chinese diving squad, which has claimed seven golds out of eight available at each of the past two editions, is poised to scoop a complete haul in Paris.

"The biggest challenge comes from within. As long as we can overcome the pressure of high expectations from ourselves and perform to our normal abilities, we will be able to beat all opponents," said Wang Zongyuan, reigning world champion in men's 3m springboard.

To improve competitiveness in some Western-dominated sports, such as swimming, track and field, fencing, and cycling, the Chinese delegation has hired 42 foreign coaches, trainers, and media staff from 17 countries and regions to help prepare for the Games.

The most important task, above all, as delegation chief Gao stressed on Saturday, is that all Chinese athletes should respect and honor all the anti-doping regulations, stick to the most strict doping control routines cautiously, and win medals that are fair and clean.

"We've pledged to make the best efforts and adopt the more rigorous measures against doping to make sure that we have 'zero cases' prior to, during, and after the Games," said Gao.